Radiation-induced graft polymerization of amphiphilic monomers with different polymerization characteristics onto hydrophobic polysilane

The structures of poly(methyl-n-propylsilane) (PMPrS) amphiphilically modified through γ-ray-induced graft polymerization were investigated with 1H NMR measurement. By the use of methyl methacrylate (MMA) or diethyl fumarate (DEF) as monomers for the graft polymerization, grafting yield rose with increasing total absorption dose and monomer concentrations, but decreased with increasing dose rate. This result means that grafting yield of modified PMPrS can be controlled by changing irradiation conditions. However, the number of PMMA or PDEF graft chains per PMPrS chain was estimated to be less than 1.0 by analysis of 1H NMR spectra, and this value was lower than that we had expected. To improve graft density, maleic anhydride (MAH), which is known as a non-homopolymerizable monomer in radical polymerization, was used as a monomer for grafting. As a result, high density grafting (one MAH unit for 4.2 silicon atoms) was attained. It demonstrates that the structure of γ-ray-modified polysilane strongly depends on the polymerization characteristics of grafted monomers.